We can't blame Joementum for him ambitions to continue serving in the U.S. Senate because he is a victim.
Just like "Red" in Shawshank Redemption, Lieberman is a victim of institutionalization.
You see, the institution and power of the U.S. Senate is all this man understands.
We can't underestimate this power when we talk about Joe Lieberman...the man has been a U.S. Senator for 18 years, came within 500 votes of becoming Vice President and ran for President in 2004. He has been "institutionalized" in the Senate--hobnobbing with foreign leaders, lobbyists, elected officials, being treated as royalty, getting kisses from the President, scoring countless appearances on Fox News, and carrying the flag for the GOP. How can we liberal bloggers take that away from him?? How can the PEOPLE of CT, and democratic elections take that away from him??
Is it fair to Lieberman??
It was evident that Lieberman had lost touch with his constituents back in CT when delegation after delegation stood up to support Ned Lamont at the state convention, becuase they said "Joe Lieberman had been a "no show" in CT for years.
Then it became appearant that Lieberman hadn't just lost touch with CT voters, but he was a victim of "institutionalization" when he vowed to continue running for the U.S. Senate seat even after losing the Democratic primary.
Watching Lieberman reminds me of "Shawshank Redemption". Prisoners in the movie spent so much time in the joint, they were "institutionalized". And pretty soon, they forgot how to live in the real world, and what it took to survive out there. THe prisoners who spent a good amount of time in the institution of prison preferred staying in prison, instead of getting out. They would rather give away their freedom for a familiar environment and for the "status quo." And once one of them got out on parole, they didn't know how to cope with living in the real world.
The U.S. Senate isn't a prison, although you can find yourself owned by lobbyists.
But Joe Lieberman has also been institutionalized. That's why he still wants to serve. Remember, the U.S. Senate is a very exclusive club. 100 Senators representing nearly 300 million people. With the institution comes respect, wealth, status, power, and countless other benefits. You see, Joe needs the status, the power, and feeling one gets from being in the institution for so long. He's afriad for his life. He wouldn't know how to cope with not being a "Senator".
He LOVES the institution of the U.S. Senate more than he loves his constituents in CT.
And he's willing to do ANYTHING to keep that power. Because, it's all that he knows or understands.
Andy saves Red in Shawshank Redemption...and now let's hope Dodd, Schumer, and Reid can save Lieberman by talking him out of an Independent run.
Crossposted at Unscripted and Unedited